


Treble Makers

by BookLover86



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, Musicians, Pining, Secret Identities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-08-18 19:32:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8173256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookLover86/pseuds/BookLover86
Summary: Marinette was a gifted collegiate musician, albeit not one of many words. She much preferred to spend her days locked in a recording studio with a piano, a viola, and a microphone. The only other things she enjoys doing is writing songs, second only to singing. However, her awful stage fright prevents her from showcasing her voice. At least, that’s what everyone thinks. In all actuality, she isn’t one bit afraid of a large crowd. She gets one every night when she performs as Ladybug at Miraculous, an underground music bar designed to showcase up-and-coming artists before they hit the real world. She’s the bar’s most requested artist until some new hot-shot by the name of Chat Noir swings in. Marinette is determined to keep her title and crown while simultaneously trying to deal with her feelings for the new student, Adrien Agreste, who was a model and classically trained in more than five instruments. Why did her life have to be so hard?





	1. Interesting Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, settings, or lyrics used.

     “What were my latest numbers?” Marinette asked as she shifted her books into her other arm. Alya pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled for a bit before pulling up a chart.

     “Three-hundred and seventeen,” her best friend replied. Marinette allowed a small smile to turn her lips up, before pulling them down into a straight-line, but not before Alya saw. “Those are the highest numbers you’ve had ever. More people’ve heard about you. You’re getting popular,” she commented lightly, but the wide grin on her face was a bit more intense.

     Marinette shrugged. “Ladybug is, not me.”

     Alya rolled her eyes. “Sure. Whatever.” That made Marinette frown, the corners of her eyes narrowed.

     “Alya,” she sighed.

     “Come on, Marinette. If Ladybug was anybody else, not one person would come. They come for you and your voice, not your mask,” Alya tried to reason, but Marinette waved her off.

     “No, they come to see a faceless singer with talent. And that’s what I give them. The name ‘Ladybug’ is just a way for them to identify me. It doesn’t mean anything.”

     Alya rolled her eyes. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” Marinette huffed annoyedly and turned her back, throwing her last comment over her shoulder.

     “I will.”

     “Ya know what? I think you’re just scared to face the fact that you’re famous, and that people see you for who you really are instead of the shy, quiet girl who always sits in the back row during lectures,” Alya called after her.

     Marinette didn’t turn around, but she felt her stomach clench. As much as she’d hate to admit it, Alya was sort of right. She was scared, but she tried to convince herself that it wasn’t because of the numbers, or because of her actual performances. It was just because she was still trying to get over her little bit of stage fright.

     That was it.

     Yeah.

     Marinette shook her head gently before focusing her gaze on the ground and speeding off, destination implanted in her mind. After a few minutes of walking around campus and dodging sweaty students, she eventually came to a large metal door inside one of the main buildings. Pushing the door open, she waved to a short old man with gray hair and a kind smile.

     “Good morning, Master Fu,” she greeted before bowing respectively. Master Fu bowed her as well, eyes squinted in happiness.

     “Good morning, Miss Ladybug,” he replied in a confident voice. Marinette’s cheeks filled with color as she glanced around. No one was there to have overheard them.

     “Please don’t call me that, Master. My name is Marinette,” she hissed lightly. Master Fu nodded, but the look on his face didn’t change. He knew what he was doing, and he knew that she didn’t like him to do that.

     “My apologies,” he amended.

     Marinette scowled faintly, but didn’t say anything else as she slid past him. After a few more steps, she arrived at her own studio. She had paid good money for it, and it was worth every penny, she thought. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, feeling a sense of familiarity and home surround her. It was small, but useful.

     Almost completely soundproof with professional microphones and a recording booth with high-tech equipment to adjust certain parts of her sound. Her shiny viola was sat against one wall, next to a violin, an acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar. A large grand piano stood in the center, onyx wood glimmering under the harsh lights. A few shelves were shoved in a corner, packed completely full of folders and binders, each one stuffed to the brim with ink-covered paper. Hundreds of pens and pencils rested in a heavy plastic case on top of the shelf, with one hinge on the lid broken.     

     Sighing contentedly, Marinette closed her door and set her backpack down against a wall, the thud of heavy books resounding easily with the amazing acoustics. She fished out her last song and placed it on the piano. After a quick ten-minute warm up to get the blood flowing in her fingers, she set out the pages and took a deep breath. Fingers dancing gracefully across the keys, eliciting a soft melody from the thick strings, Marinette began to lose herself in the world of lyrics and chords.

* * *

     Adrien felt a bubble of fear rise in his chest as he faced his new college.

     Seventh new day in five months. That couldn’t have been legal, making your kid move around so much that he fears getting close to anyone.

     However, his father assured him that he was there to stay for the rest of his college education, however long that may be. This is the point where most people would start to protest, saying that Adrien was a free man now. He was an adult, and he could make his own decisions. To that, Adrien replied with this, “ _You_ try defying my father. See how unscathed you end up.”

     Even though he hid behind a tough mask, truth was, Adrien was scared. Ever since his mom died, his father was distant, not so much a parent as he was a guardian. And Gabriel Agreste took that phrase seriously. _Deadly_ serious. For the first three years after his wife’s death, he didn’t let Adrien go anywhere without a bodyguard of some sorts. The bodyguard changed every month, because Gabriel was too afraid of one of them betraying them and trying to kill or kidnap Adrien.

     When he was growing up, Adrien never though he would use the word “paranoid” to describe his father, but sure enough, Gabriel Agreste was one paranoid man. Even though Adrien was in college now, his father wouldn’t let him go to a college he didn’t approve first. Sure, the leash around his neck and life had loosened over the years, but his father still wouldn’t let him roam the garden.

     It was frustrating, but Adrien did what he was told. He was too scared of losing his father as well. Despite his father being a big-shot fashion designer and the owner of one of the most prestigious fashion companies in the world, Gabriel insisted on moving his main office around the country. However, settling here was the best fit either of them had seen.

     When Adrien had first visited his father in his new office, the blinding smile that split Gabriel’s face almost made his son walk out of the room, thinking he had gotten the wrong office. His father didn’t need to say anything; Adrien could tell that they were there to stay. His father had finally found somewhere he could start his life anew, and Adrien was happy to let him learn the ropes again.

     So, here he was.

     New college, new classes, new major, new everything.

     Sighing heavily, the young Agreste made his way into the main building, trying to navigate his was through bodies and books, looking for the office. It wasn’t as hard to find as his last college, so he got his schedule and map fairly easy. Sure, Adrien could’ve gotten all that stuff online, but he liked to get it from the office. Not a lot of kids did, so it always warmed his heart to see how the secretaries lit up at the prospect of finally getting to help someone.

     Adrien found his first class easily, and he was actually interested in what his professor was lecturing about. It was about the complex history of something or other. He couldn’t tell you what exactly, but it was interesting. By the time the class was over, Adrien’s stomach was rumbling with hunger. He had skipped breakfast for some reason he couldn’t remember. Seeing as his next class was after lunch, he decided to stop by the coffee shop that was on campus.

     It took eight minutes to walk there, and two minutes to wait for his coffee. Turns out the place was quiet around this time of day. He sat down at a table and opened up his laptop, deciding to kick out what assignments he had so he didn’t have to do it later. Adrien was so busy typing away that he didn’t notice the fact that someone else had decided to sit themselves at his table.

     “Nice shirt,” a voice sounded, making him jump and look up from his laptop. A dark-skinned male with thick framed black glasses and headphones resting on his neck smiled back at him from across the table, his own coffee warming his hand.

     “Um..thanks?” Adrien responded, eyes narrowed suspiciously. However, the other guy didn’t seem to care. His smile grew even bigger, and he gestured to the graphic tee. “Totally. The Kwamis are possibly the best band to exist ever.”

     Adrien allowed a small grin to appear on his face. Not many other people enjoyed the Kwamis as much as he did. It was always some reason or other, but Adrien couldn’t find a single thing wrong with the group.

     “I so agree.”

     The guy stuck his hand out after he untangled it from his coffee cup, gaze warm. “I’m Nino. Nino Lahiffe.”

     Adrien grasped his hand and shook it. “Adrien Agreste.”

     Nino’s eyes lit up. “Hey, I know that name. Aren’t you that big-time fashion dude?”

     Adrien chuckled lightly. “Nah. That’s my father.”

     “Cool man. Anyway, I’m guessing you’re new here.”

     “Bingo.”

     “Have you seen the campus yet?”

     “Not yet. I was planning on trying to learn the place before my next class.”

     “Why don’t I show you around?” Nino offered. “I know this place like the back of my hand. Should be a lot easier than trying to read those stupid maps. They tell you nothing.”

     Adrien chuckled, but put his laptop away nonetheless. “Sure. That would help a lot.”

     Nino just grinned. The tour was extensive and thorough, but Adrien enjoyed it. Nino was fun to hang around, with a chill attitude and funny personality. He was a cool guy all around, and Adrien was thankful for wearing his Kwamis shirt today.

     “And this, is the music room,” Nino announced, pushing the doors open. Adrien followed him, taking the room in with awe.

     It was amazing, with hundreds of instruments lining a wall and amps, microphones, and tens of turntables stacked against another. It was homey, but spacious. A hallway branched off with even more doors on either side, each with a shiny label on them.

     “Those are the recording studios,” Nino explained. “You can purchase one for the year, and it’s yours. You get a key and everything. It’s awesome.”

     “Cool,” Adrien breathed, taking in everything.

     “Yeah. Anyway, I gotta bolt before I miss my class. Here’s my number. Text me after you finish with classes, and I can show this really cool kind of club later. See ya.” Nino shoved a piece of paper into Adrien’s hands before waving and running out.

     Adrien rolled his eyes playfully. He’d known Nino for almost an hour, and he could already tell that they were going to be good friends. He was about to exit the room, when he heard a light melody coming from the hallway of recording studios. His curiosity won out, and started to walk down, trying to figure out which one it was coming from.

     When he did, he found the door unlocked and opened it quietly. A dark-haired girl was sitting at a piano, singing lightly.

 

_You have the right to disagree_

_For what it's worth I'll respect your beliefs_

_Can't you afford the same compassion_

_To your fellow man even if you do not_

_Understand his actions, his actions_

 

_So you can gnash your teeth and stomp your feet_

_Say that I'll have hell to pay_

_But this tapestry of hate you've woven_

_Has begun to fray_

_Because in the end words are only words_

_Yet you still hide behind them no matter who you hurt_

_So forgive me if I do not follow suit_

_Then again who says my forgiveness lies with you (1)_

 

     Her voice was beautiful, and Adrien always had a weakness for speaking his mind.

     “You sound amazing.”

     The girl immediately stopped playing and jumped up, spinning to face her audience of one. Her eyes were chips of wide sapphires framed with thin obsidian lashes. Her full lips were parted in surprise, and her pearly skin was beginning to gain a faint red hue. Thick strands of her dark hair were hastily tucked behind her ears, the rest falling messily down her shoulders. Once she laid eyes on him, her own eyes narrowed dangerously, and her lips turned down into a scowl, arms crossing over her chest.

     “What do you think you’re doing in here?”

     Adrien felt his cheeks heat up, and he chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck with one hand. “Well, I’m new here, and someone was showing me around, and, um, I was gonna leave, but I heard you singing and it sounded really pretty, so I wanted to see who it was.”

     The girl didn’t look any less angry after he had explained himself, but Adrien didn’t expect her too.

      “You do realize that this is a private studio, don’t you?” she bit out in a tone that one would talk to a toddler with. Adrien nodded, not trusting himself to speak without stuttering. “Then why, on God’s green earth, did you decide to come in?” she growled, teeth bared.

     “They say curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back,” Adrien blurted out.

     The girl took a step back, eyes glowing in confusion.

     “What?”

     “That’s the full saying,” Adrien supplied. “Everyone thinks it’s just ‘curiosity killed the cat’, but it’s actually not. It’s good to be curious, which is why I came in here. Because I was curious. Because without curiosity, you wouldn’t be playing that piano or singing that song. Curiosity is a good thing.”

     The girl arched one eyebrow, but looked the tiniest bit impressed.

     “Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing,” she countered.

     “True,” Adrien nodded.

     The girl shook her head.

     “Anyway, I’d really appreciate it if you’d leave. And knock if you want to come in next time.”

     “Then you would’ve stopped singing,” Adrien protested. She fixed him with a look, making him backpedal. “Okay, okay. Got it. Knock next time.”

     She gave him a tiny grin. Adrien turned to leave, but something made him stop.

     “My name’s Adrien,” he told her, turning back to stick out his hand. “What’s yours?”

     The girl looked at him incredulously before turning around and sitting at her piano. With a frown and a heavy heart, Adrien began to drag his feet out of the room.

     “Marinette,” a soft voice called out. He spun around, but the girl was still facing her music. “My name is Marinette.”

     Adrien perked up and smiled, grin almost splitting his face. “See you around, _Marinette_ ,” he chirped, making sure to put extra emphasis on her name, before skipping out of the room.

     So far, it was his first day, and he’d made two friends. Well, two _sort of_ friends, but that didn't matter. Now, it was time to text Nino and get those directions for the bar he wanted to show Adrien tonight. Nino answered quickly with the directions, which made Adrien's eyes widen significantly. This was going to get interesting. That was for sure. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is my first time posting on AO3. I've had this idea for a while and really wanted to get it out, and I'm pretty proud of how it turned out. Tell me what you think, and I'll try to update regularly, but I can't promise anything. With high school, marching band, and a bunch of other fics I'm trying to wrap up now, I don't have a lot of time, but I'll definitely update at least once a month. Leave any suggestions or criticisms if you have them. I'd love to hear what you have to say. Thanks. 
> 
> LYRICS
> 
> 1\. My Forgiveness - Beth Crowley


	2. At Da Club…Sort Of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, settings, or lyrics used.

     Marinette locked up her studio and began to walk back to her dorm. The sun’s dying rays was beating down on her neck as she navigated the conglomeration of buildings and paths that made up the homey college campus. It was probably the smallest college in the country, and that’s what Marinette loved about it. After growing up in a huge city with thousands upon thousands of people her age in it, it was nice to come to a smaller place where she knew everyone’s name.

     “Do you even know who I am?” a shrill voice shrieked.

     Marinette sighed. Of course, a smaller college also meant more opportunity to run into Chloe Bourgeois, the diva of the school. She had a good voice, but an awful personality. Didn’t help that her father was the dean of the university.

     “Of course I do. You’re the school’s resident brat,” a confident voice shot back, and Marinette instantly knew who Chloe had tried to insult.

     “How are you doing, Alix?” Marinette asked lightly as she turned the corner, facing the arguing girls. Alix gave Marinette a friendly wave, before shooting another glare at Chloe. The blonde girl glowered at Marinette.

     “Get out of here, Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe hissed. Marinette shrugged, before stepping into line beside Alix.

     “Nah. Seeing you react to how messy your hair is will be more entertaining.” Chloe’s eyes widened as she yelped before running away, probably to a bathroom to examine her reflection.

     “Nice one, Mari,” Alix laughed, giving her a high five. Marinette returned it and smirked at Chloe’s retreating back before slipping away into her dorm room, throwing a goodbye over her shoulder. If only the rich girl knew that she was hating on her idol. Marinette would pay a lot of money to see the reaction on her face if she found out. Not that she was planning on letting anyone know, but it would still be pretty funny.

     “What do you think Tikki?” she asked, eyes glued to her closet door. Her pet raised its head and sniffed the air before bounding over to nuzzle Marinette’s hand.

     Tikki was a special kind of rabbit. Her fur was a fiery red, just like every other Thrianta rabbit on the planet, but for some odd reason, she had piercing blue eyes instead of the normal shade of brown. No one could explain it, nor the distinctive black markings around her eyes and ears, as well as faint splotches on the rest of her body. Tikki was one of a kind, and Marinette loved her that way. She giggled as the rabbit climbed onto her lap, nuzzling her stomach. Marinette scratched gently behind Tikki’s ears while continuing her staring contest with the closet door. The door won.

     “Sorry girl,” she apologized while lifting Tikki off her lap and placing her in her open cage. “I promise that it’ll be a quick performance tonight.”

     Tikki twitched her nose before going to sniff out the rest of her supper. Marinette giggled and walked over to her closet, swinging the doors open. Shoving the majority of her clothing to one side revealed a special garment bag. It was pitch black with a single crimson ladybug etched on the right shoulder. Marinette smirked to herself and grabbed the bag, mind whirling with what songs she was going to sing tonight.

* * *

      Adrien ducked his head underneath a low hanging branch, just barely dodging two small children that were skipping past him and shouting giddily. Nino had invited him to this “pretty freaking cool bar” as he put it, but Adrien had absolutely no idea how to get there.

     The instructions left to him by Nino were vague at best. He considered calling him to ask, but he had a feeling that his new friend would judge him for the rest of his college career if he couldn’t find a simple bar. Sighing, Adrien looked around once more. The instructions told him to start at the school and walk south four blocks. Then there was supposed to be a river going east that he had to follow for approximately one-hundred and twenty-two thousandths of a mile west before arriving at a park, where there was supposedly a large oak tree with one very, very thick, fake-looking branch pointing out of the thick foliage. Following the direction the branch was pointing for about thirty-seven feet should’ve brought him to a dark alley. A door would be on the left wall, and he was supposed to knock in a rhythm Nino had shown him earlier. The bouncer would ask for the password, and he had to say, “Simply the best,” before being let in.

     Seemed easy enough, right? In all actuality, it was the complete opposite of simple. Adrien was able to get to the tree without too much trouble, but he was stuck. All of the trees looked exactly the same, and he couldn’t find the “large oak with a big fake branch” anywhere. Sure, there were quite a few hefty looking oak trees, but none of them had an obvious looking fake branch. Sighing in defeat Adrien decided to text Nino and end the suffering.

**A: DUDE**

     N: what 

**A: i can’t find the tree anywhere. do you have a pic or something?**

     N: there should be a gaping hole in the trunk Adrien looked up and quickly found the tree now that the actually knew what to look for.

**A: found it. now what about the branch?**

     N: branch? it says bench 

  **A: …huh?**

     N: theres a fake bench sitting on top of the tree. you climb up to wrestle the coordinates off and them input them into a code system that we made up ourselves before you get the direction youre supposed to follow 

**A: SERIOUSLY?!?!?!**

     N: course not! hahahahahaha 

     Adrien scowled at his phone.

     “Over here, dude!” someone yelled. Looking up from the tiny screen, he saw a smiling young man leaning against a tree trunk. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt - which bore an odd black-and-white circle emblem - with a bright red thin jacket slung over and light blue sweats. He wore white sneakers and a vivd scarlet cap, which the guy had on backwards. The sky blue mask with black accents placed on his face could almost convince Adrien that he was someone completely different, but the smirk that he had on his face was definitely Nino. Adrien drug himself over there with reluctant feet, face burning.

     “Is this the tree?” he asked meekly, which brought out a strain of laughter from Nino. He shook his head while his shoulders bounced.

     “Nah, man. We just make it our mission to make the directions the most confusing we can for newbies. It’s no fun if we just tell them to come to this park then walk down the alley.” Adrien’s blush dissipated once he heard that, and his scowl came back onto his face.

     “You’re such a jerk,” he muttered. Nino slapped him on the back and motioned toward an alleyway.

     “You’re in for a treat tonight,” he told Adrien, face light and open as he started guiding Adrien to the alley.

     “Why?” “Ladybug performs tonight.” Adrien raised a single eyebrow.

     “Ladybug?”

     “She’s our best performer,” Nino explained.

     “She’s got the best voice you’ll ever hear in a million years. That girl is gonna be big someday.”

     “What’s her name?”

     “No idea.”

     “How do you not know? I thought you were the DJ.”

     “I am, but all of our members gotta wear a mask, so to keep their identity a secret. It’s a fun little game for everyone, even though half of the people are painfully obvious about who they really are. The good people put effort into their masks and costumes, and names. We’ve got a good group here.”

     “So, what’s your name?”

     “I’m called the Bubbler, which is what you gotta call me until we leave. The minute we step inside the club, I am not Nino, and you’re not Adrien. You better think of a name quick, though, ‘cause we’re here.” Nino nodded at a shiny looking door. Adrien blinked. They had made their way into the alley already.

     “Also, you might need this,” Nino added, handing him a plain black mask. Adrien quickly put it on After knocking on the door in the special rhythm, a small screen slid back to reveal a pair of bright brown eyes - shining from behind a grayish-black mask - which narrowed when they saw the company Nino was keeping.

     “Chillax, he’s cool.” Nino waved them off.

     “If he’s so cool, then he has to say the password,” the person replied, identifiable as a girl now. Adrien gulped before stepping forward.

     “Simply the best.”

     The girl huffed, but opened the door none the less, waving the two in. The girl had tan skin and curled red hair hanging on her shoulders. She was wearing a black tank-top with a purplish-white wifi symbol printed on her chest and sleek gray jeans, which hugged her legs. Tall onyx stiletto boots were laced up to her knees, and purple cloth gauntlets were wrapped around her forearms.

     “Why did you tell him?” she hissed, arms crossed over her chest. Nino rolled his eyes at her.

     “Cool it down, Wifi. He’s a new guy at my school, and he’s cool.”

     “Wifi” scowled and spun around, stalking away angrily.

     “I don’t think she likes me very much,” Adrien stage-whispered to Nino, who just shrugged.

     “She’s usually like that to new people. If there is one thing Wifi doesn’t like, it’s new people waltzing in here like they own the place. She was one of the originals with me and Ladybug, so she get’s really picky ‘bout newbies. Just, try to stay on her good side until you can prove yourself, and you should be good.” Adrien raised an eyebrow.

     “Prove myself? How do I do that?”

     “How else,” Nino answered. “You perform.” He motioned to the stage, where a small girl with a long, bright pink ponytail was softly singing about a “true prince”.

     “Bubbler! Get your butt over here!” Wifi yelled at him. Bubbler winked before slipping away.

     Adrien looked around for a moment before he decided to sit at the small bar near the left side of the room. The room was impressive. A large stage with many instruments lined up at the back took up the center of the back wall, with countless tables and chairs crowded together, stretching from wall to wall, in front of the stage. Each table had a small candle burning in the middle, the tiny flame flickering gently, illuminating the watching faces eerily. A tall bar was pushed to one side with many wooden stools for seats.

     A straight-faced, but kind looking guy dressed in rough gray clothing with a mask resembling a rock stuck on his face was tending the bar, an apron wrapped around his waist. He was wiping a glass, eyes shifting across the chatting patrons lazily. Adrien followed his gaze to a short girl sitting at the bar. Her hair was a muted blue with purple roots and a hot pink mask covering her forehead. A bright yellow eye was stuck on the middle of the mask, making her look three-eyed. She wore a bright pink shirt with a violet vest overlaying it, paired with violent cobalt gloves and boots of the same color. Her jeans were a vicious amethyst color with a thin blue tail protruding from it and curling on the floor.

     The bartender strolled over to her, and they shared a few quiet words. Then, she tipped her head back and laughed, and Adrien could see sharp white teeth filling her mouth. Swallowing quickly, he shifted his eyesight elsewhere. In the corner, next to the stage, was a smaller stage with a turntable and way too many lights shooting from it. Bubbler was standing in front of it, talking with Wifi, who looked significantly happier than she had when she had met Adrien.

     “Hey,” a voice sounded from behind him. Adrien jumped off the stool and spun around to face a smiling girl. She was wearing a red tank-top with black spots covering it along with sleek black skinny jeans and blood red stilettos. She wore fingerless crimson gloves with small black spikes decorating the knuckles. Her own mask was red with black spots, like her shirt, and her short dark hair was pulled into a bun that sat on top of her head. Glassy eyes shone with amusement, while his cheeks heated.

     “Um…hi,” he stuttered. The girl smiled widely before gesturing over his shoulder, at the two he had been observing earlier.

     “That’s Stoneheart and Horrificator,” she told him. Adrien nodded, filing the names away for later.

     “Okay. I’m new here,” he added as he turned back towards her.

     “I can tell,” she teased, voice light. “Regulars usually wear costumes.”

     Adrien looked down at his novelty t-shirt and ripped jeans, before scratching the back of his neck, cheeks red.

     “Right.”

     The girl chuckled lightly, shaking her head slightly.

     “Don’t be so embarrassed. There’s two or three newbies in here everyday, so it’s really not that big of a deal. It does help when you learn the names of the regulars, so if you do join, you’re not like a socially awkward potato. They call me Ladybug.”

     Adrien gave her a confused look, lips curling into a smile.

     “Potato?”

     She shrugged.

     “I pride myself on using creative nouns, whether with music or without. You’re just lucky you didn’t catch my on a bad day, or I’d have a bit more colorful language.”

     Now it was Adrien’s turn to laugh.

     “Got it. Avoid the ladybug on her period.”

     The girl’s eyes sparkled as she punched him lightly, frowning playfully.

     “Okay, yeah, you are _not_ great at making a good first impression.”

     “That’s already been established today,” he replied, mind flashing back to earlier, focusing on the white hot anger blazing in Marinette’s crystal eyes. Could eyes even be that blue? That _couldn’t_ be physically possible.

     “Let me guess: first day in town as well?” Ladybug interrupted his thoughts, leaning against the bar causally.

     “Bingo. Also, first day at my new college. Small, but terrifying.”

     “Ah. It’s not so bad once you get used to campus. I go there as well. Great music program.”

     “I’m sure I will get used to it, but right now, it’s a bit much. I used to move around a lot as a kid, so it’s hard to get settled down to one place for very long.” Not a lie, but not the whole truth.

     “I was born and raised in this town. I love it. If I could stay here forever, I would.” Ladybug tapped the bar, and the guy she called Stoneheart strolled over. She held up two fingers, and he nodded. Within a few moments, two small glasses filled with a fizzy liquid was sitting in front of the both of them.

     “It’s my usual: coke with ice. Do you like coke?” she asked. Adrien grinned widely before taking a sip of his drink.

     “Love it. Thanks.”

     She returned his smile and took a swig as well.

     “You’re welcome. I’m not big on alcohol, especially when I’m about to perform.”

     “You perform?” “Yeah. I sing original songs that I write. I’m actually, kind of, the biggest act here.” Ladybug’s cheeks reddened when she said this, convincing Adrien that she definitely wasn’t bragging about her status.

     “You’ve been a part of this club for a long time, then?”

     “About two years. It’s taken me a long time to build up my fanbase, though. They’re dedicated as heck to me, which I don’t think I deserve, but they stick around. I’m lucky to have them. What about you? Have you every though about performing?”

     Adrien shrugged, taking a slow sip of his coke.

     “Maybe. I’ve sung a little, but I’m much better at instruments.”

     “How many do you play?”

     “Um…as of right now? Possibly nine or so.”

     “Impressive.” Ladybug gave him a nod, tiny grin on her lips. “I’m getting up to five myself.”

     “Ladybug!” someone yelled. Both Adrien and Ladybug turned to see Wifi stalking towards them.

     “What’s up, Wifi?” Ladybug asked nonchalantly. “Five minutes until curtain call,” she replied, smiling. Ladybug faced Adrien again and gave him an apologetic grin.

     “Sorry. Duty calls. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

     Adrien smiled at her, tilting his head.

     “Maybe you will.”

     She waved and took off, Wifi on her heels. Adrien sat down and enjoyed the rest of his coke, thinking about this Ladybug. He wanted to at least stick around and listen to her perform. He let the sounds of the club overtake him, until her heard the Bubbler’s voice boom over the speakers.

     “Akumas! Put your hands together and please welcome the one, the only, LADYBUG!”

     A spotlight flew on, revealing Ladybug sitting at a piano. Her eyes were closed as she began to play chords and notes, swaying back and forth with the music, as if she was a part of the song. Electrical noises were added by Bubbler, but it didn’t take away from the music at all. She leaned forward into a mic and began to sing.

 

      _Welcome to your life_

_There's no turning back_

_Even while we sleep_

_We will find you_

 

_Acting on your best behaviour_

_Turn your back on mother nature_

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

_It's my own design_

_It's my own remorse_

_Help me to decide_

_Help me make the most_

 

_Of freedom and of pleasure_

_Nothing ever lasts forever_

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

 

_There's a room where the light won't find you_

_Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down_

_When they do I'll be right behind you_

 

_So glad we've almost made it_

_So sad they had to fade it_

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

 

     Her voice was melodic, and haunting, and once she was done. Everyone in the crowd stood up and cheered, Adrien included.

     He decided to stick around for the rest of her set, see what kinds of songs she performs. Maybe this town wouldn’t be so bad after all. And maybe, just maybe, Adrien might’ve found something to keep him grounded. Now, all he had to do, was find a name and costume. After he dusted off his vocal chords, of course. Who knew?

     Maybe he’d be as big as Ladybug one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for not posting sooner. October is what I like to call "Marching Month". Every single Saturday was taken up by a Marching Band competition, so Sunday's were used to relax and finish up homework. I'm sad that it's over, though. I do love me some marching band. Anyways, I'll try to post more regularly now that I have more free time. Also, I'm gonna be starting a new collection of multi-fandom one-shots called And I Quote…, so check that out if you want to. It may be up tonight, or possibly tomorrow. We'll just have to see. I'm really excited to see where this story goes, and thank you for being patient. Thanks for reading, and I'll write you later! ;)
> 
> 1\. Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Ian Stanley, Roland Orzabai & Chris Hughes (Cover by Lorde)


	3. Sudden Time Lapse No One Asked For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, settings, or lyrics used.

 

_Three weeks later…_

     “Uh-uh. Don’t you walk away from me,” Alya demanded, stomping after the quickly retreating figure of Marinette. The young musician simply bowed her head and made herself walk a bit faster. Still, it was a weak attempt to outrun her best friend, who quickly caught up and promptly tackled her onto the soft grass. Marinette yelped as she felt the wind being knocked out of her lungs. The two ended up in a tangled heap of limbs and backpacks.

     “Alya,” Marinette hissed, pushing herself up, tossing her friend off of her back and onto the ground.

     “What? You were ignoring me,” Alya defended, sitting up calmly.

     “And that means it’s a-okay to rugby-tackle me?” Marinette asked.

     “You never disagreed.”

     “You never asked!”

     “Maybe I did, but you were too busy in your own world to listen to me,” Alya shot back.

     Marinette sighed and sat beside her. “I’m sorry for ignoring you, but I honestly just don’t want to talk about it right now.”

     Alya’s face softened. “Mari, it’s been three weeks.”

     “I know.”

     “Everyone’s been asking where you’ve been.”

     “I know.”

     “If you don’t come back ASAP, you could lose your title as the best musician in this town.”

     “I know.”

     “So then why aren’t you performing anymore?”

     Marinette growled and leaned back onto the grass, which was still wet from the morning dew but she didn’t care. “Because I can’t write anymore.”

     Alya tilted her head in confusion. “Huh?”

     “Everything used to inspire me - from the sunset to getting a ‘D’ on a paper. Nothing was off limits for my music, but now…it’s like this well’s all dried up.”

     “Then sing some covers.”

     “You don’t get it!” Marinette hissed, sitting up again. “I'm known for my originals. I’ve never once sung a cover at _Miraculous_. If I sing covers now, I’ll never get back to my roots. I’ll be lost in the unoriginal world forever.”

     “Then sing songs you’ve already written.”

     “The only times I’ve ever done that were special anniversaries for either me or someone else. Nothing is happening currently, and no one’s requested me to sing a specific song.”

     “Well, you have to do something,” Alya protested.

     “I know!” Marinette exclaimed, leaning her head into her hands. “I know that my singing career - my _future_ \- is slipping away. I don’t know why I can’t write music anymore; it’s not natural for me to be like this. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I don’t know how long this writer’s block is gonna last, I don’t know where it came from, I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to sing again! All I know is that if I don’t start writing more songs soon, the only chance I have of getting out of this stupid town and making a name for myself will be gone.” Neither of them said anything. The two friends just sat in silence, the brunette staring at the sky while the blue-eyed girl ran her fingers through the grass.

     “When did this begin?” Alya asked finally.

     “About five days after my last performance,” Marinette murmured softly.

     “That’s when Chat started singing,” Alya mused. Marinette had to hide a smile underneath her hands, acting anxious and sad.

     Chat Noir; a newcomer at _Miraculous_ with one heck of a voice. He sang covers the few times she’d heard him sing, but she heard through the grapevines that he was starting to switch over to originals. Newbies could do that while regulars usually stuck to their circle of songs. Marinette had met him as Ladybug when he didn’t have a costume or name. Just a black mask and eyes filled with curiosity. She was instantly intrigued by him and felt compelled to talk to him. When she had, she found that he was just as interesting as she’d expected. He had a certain charming quality that Marinette knew would attract a lot of people to hear him perform. She didn’t get the chance to talk with him as much as she wanted to, as Alya pulled her away to sing.

     When she finished her show and had gotten over by the bar again, he was gone. She was disappointed, but shook it off. There were a lot of people she had met and liked that she never saw again. It was one of the downsides of wearing masks and costumes with aliases instead of actual names. Still, Marinette was looking forward to singing with him one day. She had sung with every single performer at _Miraculous_ at least once.

     However, when she showed up to hear him sing for the first time, barely anyone had showed. Sure, that was expected with new performers, but what made her heart break was when people started booing. She thought his voice sounded beautiful, but he had gotten unlucky with his crowd. Everyone had nicknamed them the Akumas. An audience group made up of nasty people who were never satisfied. Sadly, they were still allowed into the club even after making multiple people cry because of their cruel taunts. Chat Noir looked incredibly disheartened and disappointed after he performed; so much so that it made Marinette sad to look at him. She decided to step off her own singing and give Chat a chance to his feet under him so his fanbase could grow.

     And it was working. Three weeks in, and she heard a lot of positive things about Chat and his singing. He was becoming quite popular, and it warmed Marinette’s heart. She promised herself that she would give him a month before she returned. It was nice to take a break once in a while and just focus on her songs.

     With all the free time on her hands, she had gotten to play with Tikki more often and she now had a stack of original songs ready for when she picked up the microphone again. It would give her some breathing room when she did go back to _Miraculous_. The only problem with her genius plan was her genius best friend who was suspicious as heck. She had continuously questioned Marinette and why she’d stopped singing. Luckily, Marinette was ready with excuses in her back pocket. However, today was the first day she had had use them.

     “Okay,” Marinette replied with a listless voice.

     Alya looked at her sharply. “He might be getting popular, but you’ll always top him, girl. Don’t worry about him.” Marinette resisted the urge to laugh. She should win a freaking Oscar for this. Maybe she should’ve gone into acting.

     “I’ve gotta get to my next class,” Marinette explained before picking her stuff up and whisking off, turning her back on Alya. She let out a breath when she was positive that her best friend couldn’t see her anymore.

     “That was close,” she whispered under her breath.

     “What was close?” a cheery voice asked from next to her. Marinette jumped two feet into the air and whirled around to face the newcomer. His green eyes sparkled with mischief and the sunlight bounced jauntily off his soft blond hair.

     Adrien Agreste.

     Either new kid at college or musical prodigy; Marinette couldn’t decide. She had met him under less than pleasant circumstances with him accidentally breaking into her studio and listening to her sing a song she wrote that she wouldn’t _dare_ sing on stage at _Miraculous_. She hadn’t had as much interaction with him as she would have liked, but he rented the studio right next to hers and constantly slipped notes underneath her door that read stuff like, _‘Your voice is beautiful’_ , and _‘I really like that song’._ It always made her blush furiously. The musically inclined ray of sunshine had wormed his way in her heart and she had fallen fast. That was always a weakness of hers.

     Luckily, he didn’t know of her giant crush on him. Otherwise, things could get very awkward. Still, him also not knowing wasn’t so good, because he would show up with a cute grin and Marinette would resist the urge to kiss him.

     “N-nothing,” she stuttered, looking intently at the ground.

     She heard Adrien hum thoughtfully next to her. “I see. So, did you finish that song you were writing?”

     Marinette had been working on one song for the past three days, but it still wasn’t perfect. Adrien had commented on the repetition of notes and chords that he could hear through the walls of his own studio. She told him about her struggles to finish the song and find the right lyrics and melody. This was the first song she had ever spent so much time on, which said something about what she was writing, considering her inspiration for this piece was Adrien himself. Not that she would ever let him know that or hear it finished.

     “Not yet. I’ve decided to move on for now and work on some other projects,” Marinette replied.

     “Maybe you should do something with your viola. It sounds really pretty and not many people play the viola,” Adrien suggested.

     She shrugged, but her heart lit up like campfire at his compliment. “Maybe, but I’m better at writing songs using the piano.”

     “What’s the use for music unless risks are taken?” Adrien mused, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

     “What’s the use of risks if perfectly good music is already being created?” Marinette shot back, her blush beginning to fade.

     “Good point, but no one would have ever discovered that music had one person not taken a risk. Like had Bartolomeo Cristofori not taken a risk, you would’t have a piano to write music on,” Adrien pointed out, poking her shoulder in a friendly manner. Marinette felt her cheeks flare up again and turned away towards the music building.

     “I’ve gotta go,” she muttered before speeding away as fast as her legs could take her. She didn’t stop running until she reached the old metal door on the outside leading in. Heaving a sigh, Marinette walked in, greeting Master Fu with a simple nod and him returning it. Right now, she needed to drown herself in music. Maybe she could finally finish that one song.

     However, while making these plans, she hadn’t taken into account the fact that her best friend could’ve broken into her studio and would be standing there, wearing the most disapproving look ever. Not that she ever thought that would happen, but she was wrong. Alya’s eyes bored into Marinette’s, holding up a stack of papers covered in ink.

     “Writer’s block, huh?” Alya asked, seemingly innocent, but her eyes were glaring fire. Marinette flinched before closing the door behind her.

     “I know this looks bad,” she murmured.

     “How long have you been lying to me?”

     “Technically, only since today.”

     “Why haven’t you been performing if you’ve got all these songs?” Alya questioned, eyes softening.

     Marinette took a deep breath and began. “Remember the first time we met Chat Noir? He didn’t even have a name or costume; just a black mask. I talked to him. He interested me, so I was happy to hear that he was beginning to perform at _Miraculous_. However, he got the Akumas during his first performance, and I felt bad, so I decided to take a break to help him get his feet and develop a fanbase. I told Nino to give him my prime time spot and not tell anyone. His fanbase has grown, and I’ve gotten the chance to write a bunch of new songs. That way, when I go back to performing, I’ll have a list lined up so I don’t have to continually write new songs each week. It gives me a breather.”

     Alya shook her head fondly. “You and your big heart. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

     “I don’t really know. I just decided to keep it to myself,” Marinette hummed, moving to take the music from her best friend’s hands.

     “Well, tell me next time you decide to do something like this so I don’t get worried,” Alya muttered.

     “Done,” Marinette promised.

     “So, I think, because you lied to me, that I get to hear some of these new songs that you’ve been writing.”

     “Sure, but you’ve gotta sing this one with me,” Marinette ordered, digging through the sheets to find the song she was looking for.

     She handed it to Alya, who looked it over approvingly. “Do you wanna sing this one next week? We could do a duo performance again. It’s been a really long time since we’ve done one of those.”

     “Heck yeah. It can be my big comeback.”

     “You’ve been gone a month. It’s not that big of a comeback."

     “Hush. Let me dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY THAT THIS IS SO LATE
> 
> I honestly was wanting to finish this chapter much earlier and post it earlier so I could get another chapter out int time for Christmas, but alas, finals made that all the harder. I wasn't able to finish the fourth chapter, so that's scheduled for January (sorry) but I've given you some fluff and a bit more explanation, even if it is a bit short. I couldn't really find a way to continue where I left off, so, hence the title of this chapter, time lapse no one asked for. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, regardless. Next chapter is fully from Adrien's POV, then the one after is back to original with both Marinette and Adrien's POVs.
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading this. Please check out some of my other works if you're interested. I have an ongoing series called "And I Quote..."; the first one was about Stiles Stilinski from Teen Wolf and the next installment is going to be about Barry Allen from the Flash (TV show, not comics). I also have a one-shot called :Lightning In A Bottle" about Barry, and another one called "Just A Child" about Danny Phantom. Please leave comments if you loved it or hated it. I love reading all types of comments. They either make my day or show me ways to improve.
> 
> BookLover86, Out! ;)


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